U.S.-Iran 60-Day Ceasefire Deal Awaits Trump Sign-Off
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- U.S. and Iranian negotiators reached agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire and launch nuclear program talks — a potential major diplomatic breakthrough — but President Trump has not yet signed off and Iran has not confirmed its acceptance.
- The 60-day MOU would declare shipping through the Strait of Hormuz "unrestricted" (no tolls, no harassment), require Iran to remove all mines within 30 days, and lift the U.S. naval blockade in proportion to restored commercial shipping, paired with U.S. sanctions waivers letting Iran sell oil freely.
- Iran would commit not to pursue a nuclear weapon, with the first negotiation items being disposal of highly enriched uranium and how to handle Iranian enrichment; the U.S. would commit to discussing sanctions relief and releasing frozen Iranian funds, plus a humanitarian aid mechanism.
- The MOU would also end the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon — a point that produced a tense call between Trump and Netanyahu — and would reference promoting regional peace and Iran's support for regional proxies.
- Even as the deal was being finalized, the U.S. and Iran had two skirmishes in the Strait of Hormuz in the past 48 hours, and Trump told mediators Wednesday he wants "a couple of days to think about it" and "was not in a rush."
- U.S. officials warned that if Iran fails to deliver on the nuclear issue during the 60-day window, Trump will have "all options on the table — economic and military," and withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region is contingent on a final agreement.
Why it matters: A signed MOU would unlock Iranian oil sales via sanctions waivers and resume unrestricted Strait of Hormuz shipping, directly easing global energy supply constraints, while locking the U.S. and Iran into 60 days of direct nuclear talks with the threat of renewed military action if Tehran can't deliver on its non-nuclear-weapon commitment.
